Want a New Life?
by Shadows of a Dream
Summary: Bella has graduated and summer has begun. For humans, it's time to relax. But when you're a newborn in a labyrinth of lies, every day could be your last, and it's a fight for survival... In canon - review! - just don't be rude. Entry for NNT's Challenge.
1. Anger

**Want a New Life?**

_**By TwilightFreakNumberOne**_

I was starting to think that maybe this wasn't such a good idea. Somehow, this whole situation seemed shady, wrong. This wasn't like the Riley that I knew and followed. It was dark and sinister… almost evil. It just didn't fit.

It appeared that Riley had deceived our entire clan. Or army. When he was with _her, _she had called it an army. But I'd never thought of the clan as an army. More like a gang of runaways that only wanted a safe home, a new life. Not that this life was all that it was cracked up to be. Sure, it was easier. Riley called us gods, beings that commanded the world of mortals. We left our human problems far behind – all our human needs for food, water, air. But we traded them for a single, powerful need. The need for blood.

Riley fought hard to leash our need, though. I figured it was to keep the humans from discovering us. But lately, it seemed as if everything I figured might be a lie.

It was hard to think that Riley was actually tricking us. He'd tried to give us all a second chance, an opportunity to start over and not make the same human mistakes. He'd taken us from the chaos of the streets and the gangs to the safety of a home. He'd offered us a family, if you could call it that. Lately, fights were out of control, and the clan didn't feel much like a family. Let alone an army.

But the things that Riley had painted as truths were giving way to reality. Constantly, he reminded us of the sun's power to permanently destroy us in a single, bright flash of searing heat. But I had touched the sun, and I had lived to tell the tale. If the stories about the sun were lies, who was to say that Riley's other claims were truth?

Yet, I trusted Riley. And he trusted me. We were sort of like brothers, in a way. But we were hardly equals – he was clearly superior, in control. No one picked a fight with the other vamps when he was around. Not unless they wanted to get their arms ripped off.

I swallowed, hoping that _my_ arms would still be attached after I explained my discovery to Riley. Had he truly lied about the sun? Or was he just misinformed? I desperately hoped that it was the latter. If he _had _lied, I might be in huge trouble for unraveling the truth. Not that I actually expected Riley to hurt me. He wasn't the type to flip out over little things. At the same time, though, when he _was_ angry, it was best to get out of the way. If you valued your arms, that is.

I didn't have the chance to think anything through further. Riley's footsteps were suddenly heard, and there he was – pale as a ghost, powerful as a dragon. "Diego? What are _you_ doing here?" he asked suspiciously.

I forced my nervous feelings to shut up, launching into my announcement with feigned confidence. "I discovered something that I need to show you. While it's light out."

Riley laughed, but it sounded unusually forced. "Diego, I told you – sunlight is lethal. It burns. We should get out of the light while we can."

"That's what I'm trying to tell you," I explained. "Watch this." I stepped into the path of a brilliant beam of sunlight, closing my eyes to shield them from the brightness. Instantly, my skin was like diamond instead of marble, shining bright and brilliant. "Check it out! I'm an overgrown disco ball! And it doesn't even hurt!" I giggled. Apprehensive as I was, it was hard not to laugh at my sparkling skin.

But Riley wasn't laughing anymore. In fact, he looked downright furious. And this anger wasn't the kind of anger that surfaced when someone lost a hand or a leg. This anger was lethal – instead of running wild, it was sharp and focused. Focused on me. Riley's bloody irises were glaring at me, and they held none of the brotherly affection that I usually saw.

Riley seized hold of my shirt and pinned me against a tree. "Who told you about the sun?" he growled. He was in a crouch now, his teeth bared like a wolf, both his fists clenched, gripping me.

"No one told me anything!" I stammered.

Riley slammed me into the tree like a wrecking ball, and the trunk splintered. "Then how do you know?"

"I experimented… I didn't… I… it didn't hurt," I gasped.

"You don't trust me!"

I was thrown into the tree again, and this time it collapsed. I tumbled into the dirt and landed on my back. Pain shot through me as I staggered away from Riley in terror.

"I _did_ trust you!" I wailed. The past tense was painfully obvious – after this outburst, I would never trust Riley again. Not when he could fly off the handle at any time.

"Who else knows?" Riley shrieked.

I clenched my teeth. I couldn't expose Bree, not now. Not if this was what her punishment would be. This was my fault… I wasn't going to put her in danger because of my stupid mistake. So I kept my mouth shut.

"**Who else knows?**" Riley repeated.

I didn't answer. Suddenly, there was an awful tearing noise, like a rock shattering, and pain shot through my arm. Then the discomfort cut off, and I realized that Riley had thrown my arm several feet away into a bush. Then everything happened too fast, like a movie on fast-forward.

Something snapped…

My other arm was gone…

Everything hurt…

I hurtled backwards…

I choked on dirt and dust…

Riley was dragging me…

And then the speed stopped. Riley threw me to the ground with fury in his eyes.

"Riley, stop," I begged, my voice weak. "I thought you were my friend."

At that, Riley's expression softened, but then reverted to a cruel mask. "I'm not your friend, Diego," he hissed. But the words were choked, like it hurt for him to say them.

"You… you liked me," I stuttered. "You were my _friend_."

Again, Riley froze for a second. But then his words tumbled out, and they were full of feeling, of decision. He would never take them back.

"I'm your master… and nothing more," Riley growled. "My loyalties lie with _her _– and your loyalties clearly don't lie with me!" he shrieked, his voice rising. "You've broken my rules, _her _rules. You've crossed the line!"

"You lied to me!" I howled. "You're not my friend… and the sun doesn't hurt me. You lied to the others! To everyone! To _Bree_!"

I suddenly realized what I had allowed to slip from my mouth.

**No.**

**NO, NO, NO!**

"Bree," Riley breathed. "So, Diego – you're friends with the newbie! Was she in on any of this?"

Riley's harsh tone battered against my mental defenses. I wanted him to stop hurting me, stop pressuring me… but I couldn't betray Bree. Not ever.

Everything bubbled up, then. All at once, like a volcanic eruption. Memories melded together, mingled. And then they exploded like a chemical reaction.

_ Life on the streets…_

_ My brother, the gang…_

_ I tried to stop him…_

_ They shot my brother…_

_ I went to avenge him…_

_ A pale man, angry but focused…_

_ Riley…_

_ The new clan…_

_ Bree…_

_ Ninjas…_

_ BFFs…_

_ Secret handshake…_

_ The sun…_

_ My skin sparkled…_

_ The sun didn't hurt…_

_ Riley lied to me…_

And then, in my mind, I heard Riley's voice, recalled his promise from the day of my transformation.

_'Want a new life, kid?'_

I decided, right then, that I _did _want a new life. But not this one – not a life of lies and fights and missing arms. I wanted a life of freedom, freedom from mortal and immortal hindrances. I wanted a life apart from this. I wanted a life of safety.

And I wanted to protect Bree.

She was so vulnerable… so weak… but so friendly and accepting. She didn't deserve this life with Riley… she deserved more.

I leapt towards my right arm, speedily reattaching it, and then seized my left arm, doing the same. New strength filled my limbs, and suddenly I was able to stand. I turned to run, and Riley lunged, but I dodged him. Somehow. "_DIEGO_…" he snarled. And then I was gone, running away. Away to protection. Away to Bree.

Although no one could hear me, I called to the mountains, "I'm coming, Bree! I'm coming! And we'll run away – BFF ninjas! With a secret handshake!"

It felt dumb to talk about ninjas and BFFs when I was more worried about life and death. But, at the same time, it was freeing to temporarily escape from reality. To focus on fun and laughter like Bree did. To not worry about watching my back. So I ran, ran to Bree, stopping frequently to make sure that I wasn't being followed.

With Bree as my motivation, nothing could stop me.

No matter what.

_**Author's Note: **__It didn't seem likely to me that Riley would just kill Diego so torturously over the "we-glitter-in-the-sun" thing. So I wrote this. After all, there was no direct evidence in __The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner__ that Diego was dead. This will be a three chapter FanFic when completed, and I intend to finish it!_


	2. Misery

_**Later On…**_

I should have just given up, should have surrendered the flicker of faith that remained in me. Usually, faith is good. It sustains the fallen and helps them to climb back to their feet with renewed resolve. But blind faith only lifts one's spirits long enough for his hope to again dwindle, leaving a chasm of powerlessness and despair where joy once thrived.

Now it seemed my faith was blind.

It had been impossibly hard since my narrow escape from Riley. The "new life" that he had promised me was suddenly worse than my old one – maybe even worse than death. Abruptly, my world had been exposed as a world of false assurances. I had no guarantees now – not of blood or friends or even safety. But my worst insecurity wasn't about my own life. It was about the life that I'd left in a war zone. The person that had opened my eyes to seek truth. The person I loved.

Bree.

Oh, how I missed Bree! I had remained in hiding for nearly two days – always on alert, watching for danger and preparing to defend myself against it. Eventually, when I determined that Riley probably wasn't looking for me, I had attempted to find my way back to Bree. Locating the house hadn't been easy, but I had eventually found it. Of course, I would need to be careful. If Riley saw me, I was as good as dead. I would have to find Bree, tell her everything, and then we would run for it before it was too late.

But now it was clear that it was _already_ too late.

I stared at the empty house before me as misery squeezed my heart and remorse at having trusted Riley consumed me. I'd deserted Bree, and now she was gone forever. This was what I deserved, but that didn't make it any less horrifying. Bree was the only thing in my life that hadn't been a lie.

And she was gone.

My hope was useless now. I let it flee without trying to restrain it. And then a myriad of emotions crowded into the empty space, melting into a twisting void of torture.

Anger.

Uselessness.

Sorrow.

Guilt.

**Thirst.**

I suddenly loathed the thirst. It was thirst that had ruled my life and blinded me, keeping me from realizing Riley's deception. After meeting Bree, I had begun to think less often of thirst and more often of intelligent goals and aspirations. Life was more than thirst, I had decided. It had love, for one thing.

But not anymore.

Not without Bree.

Vampires can't cry to calm themselves. They can't sweat when they're stressed. They can't escape to the shelter of sleep. But they can break things. So I tore the house apart, unable to think of any other way to assuage my despair. However, that ceased to alleviate my internal turmoil, so I just screamed, shrieking like a newborn child. Eventually, I ceased to wail, but I collapsed to the ground, tortured and conscience stricken. "Why?" I wailed. There were a thousand questions embodied in that word.

_Why did I ever want a new life?_

_Why did I ever trust Riley?_

_Why did I tell him about the sun… even worse, against my better instincts?_

It was easier for humans, following their dreams without a care, completely ignorant of the concealed immortals that lived to see them die. I had been human. Now, sometimes, I wondered what it would be like if I still was. As a vampire, thirst loomed over me, dominated me, and I followed it willingly. Maybe it was because thirst suppressed reality for a few moments of bloody bliss. And now my reality had become a living nightmare.

Again, I screamed as my awful past and terrifying present tormented me. Memories started to resurface, and there was nothing that I could do to stop them.

_**My brother approaches the darkened side street.**_

"_Stop! That side of town's bad news," I warn._

"_I'm fine, Diego," my brother snaps. "It's a shortcut."_

_Hurriedly, I block his path with outstretched arms. "Take the long way. Stay safe!"_

_My brother groans, frustrated. "I'm old enough to fend for myself."_

"_But…"_

"_I'm not a kid anymore!"_

_Our eyes lock and my emotions war. Something in me wants to believe him. After all, I'm not his father. And he's always careful. _

_So I step aside. "Be safe." It sounds like begging._

_My brother confidently smiles in appreciation. "I'll be fine. Don't worry."_

_Then he's gone…_

_**He's still not back.**__ A gunshot, somewhere distant – and a scream. I suddenly can't breathe. Could it be –? Then somehow I'm running, faster, faster._

_Not fast enough._

_Blood pools. I look my brother in the eyes, and there's fear there – more fear than I've ever seen before. "I'll get help!" I shout. "Don't let me lose you!"_

"_The…gang…" my brother stutters. "Their… leader…"_ _He falls limp. His eyes close._

_Bawling, I place his body on the ground. He is gone forever. He is… dead…_

_**A gunshot – my gunshot this time. **__The gang leader falls, and I bask in my glorious revenge. But more gangsters come, seemingly from everywhere – every corner hides another loaded weapon. I know that I am hopelessly outnumbered, and I turn to run._

_But I'm cornered._

_My heartbeats quickens and sweat coats my skin as I back against a deserted building, breathing what will probably be my last breath. As the gangsters close in like wolves, I hear dark, callous laughter all around me. I close my eyes. At least I will die honorably. I have avenged my brother. But – who will avenge __**me**__?_

_I want to die with courage, staring death in the face without fear. So I force myself to open my eyes, terrified but concealing my fright. The gangsters raise their guns, and I brace myself for the end of my life._

_But then, suddenly, a blur like a ghost darts by and the bullets drop harmlessly. I gasp as the ghost materializes – it is not a ghost after all, but a disconcertingly pale man. His bloody gaze meets my own. I must look terrified._

_The man smiles a mysterious, calculating, but oddly kind smile. "Want a new life, kid?"_

_I don't even have to think before I answer. "Yes."_

_The gangsters are running now, but the man doesn't seem concerned. In a single deft leap, he's somehow ahead of them. He grins, and suddenly my enemies are on the ground. In an instant, they're dead…_

_**Bree and I stand in the sun. **__I have a friend again – more than a friend. A lot more. We glitter like the purest crystal and – for the first time in a long time – I feel meaning in my new life. Bree smiles, and I feel joy in my heart. "BFFs?" she asks._

"_Yeah," I reply. "Best friends forever."_

I was abruptly returned to the present. I was safe; but Bree was gone. Miserably, I buried my face in the moist dirt. But then my hope was unexpectedly rekindled. I could smell Bree's scent – and it was fresh! Could she still be alive?

I was determined to find out.


	3. Hope

**Chapter 3: Hope**

I was off like a shot, my hope revived, my feet racing faster than ever before. Was I too late? Was Bree alive? Or had the battle against _her _enemies already begun? I forced myself to believe that Bree was fine. If I allowed too many doubts to creep into my mind, I would panic, and that would make it harder to focus on finding Bree. After recognizing her scent, it was easier to follow it. But then something struck me like a blow to the face.

The scent of a _human_.

And this wasn't just a typical smell of any old blood – it was _perfect _blood, sweet and luscious and clean. I forced myself to – for the first time – resist the innate thirst. I fought the urge to tear after the mortal, commanded my brain not to shut down, reminded myself that I was here for Bree and not for blood. My throat burned, but I leashed the instinct to feed. Somehow, I focused on Bree's scent alone, tortured but resisting the urge to hunt. I quickly reached the end of Bree's trail.

But it was then that I stopped dead in my tracks, torn between terror and relief.

Riley stood only a few inches away, and this was the source of my fear. But beside him was Bree, alive and in one piece, exactly as I remembered her. I wanted to shout to her, to run, to warn her that we had no further reason to trust Riley. But with Riley himself standing right there, I knew that it would be stupid to make my presence known. Riley would kill me.

He turned to Bree and spoke. "Bree. I thought you were with Kristie." There was a brief, awkward silence when Bree didn't respond. Riley quickly added, "I heard someone get hurt… Kristie needs me more than Raoul."

Bree looked confused and frightened. "Are you… leaving us?"

I fought the urge to leap out and strangle Riley, knowing that I would fail.

Riley's expression turned nervous and conflicted. That was unlike him, almost… weird. He always seemed so sure of himself. "I'm worried, Bree," he admitted, although it was already painfully obvious. "I told you that _she _was going to meet us, to help us, but I haven't crossed her trail. Something's wrong. I need to find her."

"But there's no way you can find her before Raoul gets to the yellow-eyes," Bree replied.

_Yellow eyes? _I thought. Were these "yellow-eyes" the enemies that the dark-cloaked vamps had referred to as "a certain local clan"? Either way, the fight was already beginning – I'd made it just in time. I had to get Bree out of here… fast!

Riley's expression turned even more desperate. "I have to find out what's going on. I need her. I wasn't supposed to do this alone!"

"But the others…" Bree interrupted.

"Bree, I have to go find her! Now!" Riley was nearly yelling. "There are enough of you to overwhelm the yellow-eyes. I'll get back to you as soon as I can."

Bree nervously glanced toward me, and I ducked behind a tree. Thankfully, she didn't see me, and I remained unnoticed by Riley.

"Diego's down there, Bree," he interjected.

I wanted to scream. _Liar! Dirty, rotten, arm-ripping liar!_

Riley continued, "He'll be part of the first attack. Didn't you catch his scent back there? Did you not get close enough?"

Bree shook her head, clearly confused. "Diego was there?'

"He's with Raoul by now. If you hurry, you can help him get out alive."

For what felt like eternity, Riley and Bree just stared at each other. She glanced towards Raoul's path.

"Good girl," Riley praised. I didn't like that – Riley talked like she was an animal. He continued, "I'll go find _her _and we'll be back to help clean up. You guys have got this! It might be over by the time you get there!"

Then Riley was gone, headed for _her_. Bree clenched her teeth, trying to decide whether to obey Riley's instructions. I was about to call to her, but I was too late. She took off like lightning, leaving me stupefied. After a second of standing there like a total idiot, I sprinted after her, trying to keep it down so that Riley wouldn't hear me, wherever he was. Sounds of war grew louder as I ran – shouts, hisses, growls, limbs tearing…

Bree raced even faster, and I knew that I could never keep up. She was so much newerthan me… so much stronger!

The scent of vampire funeral smoke hung over the scene, sickly sweet. Bree dashed through a thick sheet of it, and somewhere in the purple haze, I lost her. Terrified, I glanced around, searching. But there were too many vampires, both red and yellow-eyed – I couldn't see Bree anywhere. I needed to hide, to find somewhere to crouch until I could find her. Quickly, I dashed to the edge of the field and ducked behind some thick shrubbery. Then I saw her.

But a yellow-eye caught sight of her first.

In an instant, a blond vampire with golden irises hurtled through the air, slamming Bree into the dirt.

_No! _I thought. But I knew that fighting back would only mean death for us both. I stayed put and closed my eyes, too horrified to watch.

"Please!" Bree sobbed. I heard a crash and a muffled screech as she crashed into a tree and hit the ground. "Please," she repeated. "I don't want to fight."

Then a new voice, one I didn't recognize.

I opened my eyes. It was the yellow-eyed attacker, and he was acting… sympathetic.

"Neither do I, child," he said, calm and controlled. "We are only defending ourselves."

"We didn't know," Bree confessed. "Riley lied. I'm sorry."

The battlefield went silent. The fight was over.

A female vamp with long brown hair appeared beside the blond yellow-eye. She scrutinized Bree, looking perplexed. "Carlisle?"

The blond vampire explained, "She doesn't want to fight."

The woman put her hand on his shoulder, and I realized that – despite his relaxed tone – he was still in a crouch, ready to spring.

"She's so frightened, Carlisle. Couldn't we…"

Carlisle stood up, only half-crouching now, but still looking apprehensively at the woman. She turned to Bree with a voice that sounded oddly loving and… parental. "We have no wish to harm you. We didn't want to fight any of you."

"I'm sorry," Bree whimpered pitifully.

"Child," Carlisle asked, "will you surrender to us? If you do not try to harm us, we promise we will not harm you."

I gasped at their compassion. _Please say yes, Bree. Surrender, please._

"Yes," Bree agreed. "Yes, I surrender. I don't want to hurt anybody."

Carlisle extended an encouraging, non-threatening hand. "Come, child. Let our family regroup for a moment, then we'll have some questions for you. If you answer honestly, you have nothing to fear."

Bree got up slowly and submissively, looking dazed and a little shocked.

"Carlisle?" a masculine voice called.

Suddenly, another yellow-eye materialized, and I was abruptly on edge. He was tall and thin, but with a face like a harden warrior and ancient scars of battle crisscrossing his skin, making him look like a snake. His eyes were less kind and controlled than Carlisle's, and his stance was threatening.

He tensed to spring, fury emanating from him.

I desperately tried not to shriek at the top of my lungs.

"Jasper!" Carlisle shouted.


	4. Pain

**Chapter 4: Pain**

Jasper froze in mid-lunge, his whole body tense. But he hadn't hurt Bree, which calmed my nerves somewhat. Jasper turned to Carlisle with eyes full of frustration. "What's going on?"

"She doesn't want to fight," Carlisle explained. "She's surrendered."

Now Jasper was perplexed. "Carlisle, I…" His voice trailed off. "I'm sorry, but that's not possible. We can't have any of these newborns associated with us when the Volturi come. Do you realize the danger that would put us in?"

I growled – it was a quiet, inaudible growl, but a growl all the same. I had no idea what Volturi were, or what danger Jasper was referring to, but I clearly understood his main point. He wanted to kill Bree. It took every ounce of strength in my immortal body not to leap at him and tear him apart.

"Jasper," the woman objected, "she's only a child. We can't just murder her in cold blood!"

"It's our family on the line here, Esme. We can't afford to have them think we broke this rule," Jasper retorted.

The woman whose name was Esme sauntered towards Bree and paused between Bree and Jasper, turning to face Jasper with her hands on her hips in an authoritative, defiant posture. "No. I won't stand for it."

Slowly, apprehensive but firm, Carlisle said, "We are not the Volturi. We follow their rules, but we do not take lives lightly. We will explain."

Jasper grunted. "They might think we created our own newborns in defense."

"But we didn't. And even had we, there was no indiscretion here, only in Seattle. There is no law against creating vampires if you control them."

"This is too dangerous," Jasper persisted.

Carlisle put a hand on his shoulder. "Jasper," he sighed. "We cannot kill this child."

Jasper was angry now; he glowered at Carlisle. But Carlisle ignored him, so Jasper just sighed a lengthy sigh, looking hesitant but calmer.

"I don't like this. At least let me take charge of her. You two don't know how to deal with someone who's been running wild so long."

I snarled again. I didn't trust Jasper at all, and I certainly didn't want Bree in his custody.

"Of course, Jasper," Esme agreed. Then, quickly, she added, "But be kind."

Jasper rolled his eyes, and I had a bad feeling that he had no intention of being kind. But Carlisle and Esme were clearly in control, and I trusted that they would keep Jasper from getting out of line.

"We need to be with the others," Jasper interjected. "Alice said we don't have long."

Carlisle nodded, and he and Esme headed back towards what had previously been the battlefield.

Jasper turned to Bree, glowering, all gentleness gone from his face. "You there. Come with us. Don't make one rash move or I _will _take you down."

Bree tried to look docile, but I could tell that she was angry on the inside – it was written all over her face. Again, I felt like killing Jasper, but I knew that would only make things worse for Bree.

Jasper suddenly paused for a split second. "Close your eyes."

Bree hesitated, and I gritted my teeth, slipping into a crouch. If Jasper actually tried to hurt Bree, he would regret it.

"Do it!" Jasper repeated.

Bree clenched her teeth and obeyed, but she still looked awfully fearful.

"Follow the sound of my voice and don't open your eyes. You look, you lose, got it?"

Bree nodded, seeming to relax a little.

"This way," Jasper instructed, and Bree slowly followed him in the direction of the bonfires. As the sun hit her, she glittered more brilliantly than the most precious stones, and I watched in awe. She was so beautiful.

Eventually, Bree was right next to the flames, and Jasper sharply demanded, "Sit here. Eyes closed."

Bree did as she was told, her face a mixture of fear and anger as Jasper continued to watch her like a hawk. Slowly, Bree's emotions seemed to give way to misery for some reason. She didn't look well – she had the same look on her face as she had when Freaky Fred had unleashed his 'talent'.

Then I was distracted by a low growl from the left. I turned, frightened, and was shocked by what I saw.

A pack of enormous wolves stood before me. They were easily as large as horses, with dense fur and teeth that looked capable of slicing steel. A word darted through my mind. _Werewolf. _I didn't know what it meant, but I was terrified of these strange creatures. And Bree still had her eyes closed. Had the wolves come to kill her? Was that why Jasper had instructed her to close her eyes? So that she wouldn't see the wolves until it was too late?

Then I froze.

A smaller gray wolf had noticed me, and its expression was one of determination. It stalked forward, slowly, teeth bared in a threatening snarl. I lost it. These wolves were going to kill me, and probably Bree, too. There was no point in hiding anymore.

With a savage, guttural bellow, I leapt from the shrubbery and towards the gray wolf. The others suddenly realized what I was about to do, and a russet one pushed the gray one out of my path. I hissed in satisfaction as my limbs closed around the russet wolf. The awful crack of its bones shattering made me smile. It howled a tortured howl of utter agony.

_You will never get close to Bree. Ever! _I thought. _Stupid monster… don't you dare!_

The yellow-eyes started shouting, "Jacob! Leah! Sam!" They started running in my direction at a frantic pace.

Then, abruptly, the other wolves were upon me. I screamed as my limbs were torn apart and thrown into the bonfire. For a moment, I was angry and miserable. I'd failed Bree, failed myself, failed everyone and everything… My 'new life' was about to end, and I'd failed.

Then, unexpectedly, my emotional turmoil dissipated.

As the flames surrounded my broken body, there was only pain…

_**Author's Note: **__Diego was the newborn that attacked Jacob and left him severely injured. An interesting twist, huh? Well, that's the end of my story. Diego and Bree died inches away from one another and Bree never knew the truth._


End file.
